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Islamist rebels have been in control of northern Mali since April

The African Union's chairman Thomas Boni Yayi has called for Nato to send forces to Mali to help fight militant Islamists who have captured the north.

The Malian conflict was an "international question" and Nato should intervene just as it had done in Afghanistan, Mr Yayi said.

However, the campaign against the militants should be led by an African force, he said.

The UN last month approved plans to send some 3,000 African troops to Mali.

Obviously we are very concerned about the situation, and the development of essentially an entire terrorist region is of grave concern to everybody in the international communityStephen Harper , Canada's prime minister